Cognitive Research

Whether we spontaneously put ourselves in someone else's shoes is a question of effort more

Individual voice could help birds be recognized in a flock, no matter what they say more

A study analyzes differences in brain asymmetry among different individuals more

Study shows that a one-hour walk in nature reduces stress-related brain activity more

Study shows that children find their own solutions thanks to broad focus more

Basic researchers call for urban design based on scientific facts more

A tiny brain structure, the Locus coeruleus, is thought to regulate our brain's sensitivity to relevant information more

Scientists develop a software that can be used in combination with MRI data for research and diagnosis more

A thorough understanding could help to counteract the impaired recognition of emotions more

Telomeres on human chromosomes change together with brain structure more

What people find beautiful is highly individual. Aenne Brielmann and her team at the Max Planck Institute of Biological Cybernetics want to know how the perception of beauty comes about and what effect environmental design has on our well-being.  more

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2022 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

The brain activity of jazz pianists differs from those of classical pianists, even when playing the same piece of music. more

Even chimpanzees and six-year-old infants want to punish antisocial behaviour more

At the age of six months, babies develop a sense of statistics more

Babies as old as only a few months are able to identify objects as 'spiders' or 'snakes' and respond to them more

Tania Singer, director at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognition and Brain Sciences, talks about mental empathy exercises, our inner judge and prospects for peaceful coexistence more

Adults too can acquire social skills such as empathy and compassion more

High-resolution imaging provides new insights into the development of the human brain more

Chimpanzees and orangutans look for information to fill gaps in their knowledge more